Eco-forest artist and art researcher Cathy Fitzgerald reviews Irish singer-songwriter Cathy Davey's music and videos for her New Forest (2016) album. Fitzgerald reflects how art is a powerful means and meme to engage and convey more life-sustaining eco-social understanding of the Symbiocene.

The international conference Lifeworlds: Space, Place and Irish Culture, hosted by the Ómós Áite: Space/Place Research Network, will take place at NUI Galway, 27-30 March 2014. Conference sessions, plenary lectures and the mapping workshop are free and open to the public.

The diary form of film-making by its master and leading experimental filmer and expermental film advocate... Walden is Mekas' conversation with a city (New York) and friends. It's nice to see that Jonas' celebratory and generous work now has spread to the new world of internet diary making too - see Jonas vlogging at http://jonasmekasfilms.com/diary/ &hellip;Read more Walden by Jonas Mekas

I have often wondered on the new opportunities and places where artists cinema is exhibited The most comprehensive recent overview is by irish academic, Maeve Connolly in her book 'the place of Artists' cinema: space, site and screen' (2009). However, while it does cover the relatively recent rise of artists cinema in the 'sacred space',…Read more the place of artists cinema – off and online

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I explore new ideas and practices for eco-social well being by bringing art and non-art practices together in my creative practice. I also offer Ecoliteracy learning for the arts at www.haumea.site
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Through my practice and an art practice-theory PhD "The Ecological Turn", I have developed a guiding theory-method framework to articulate the context and workings of long-term eco-social art practices. These vital practices activate ecoliteracy and agency for environmental change in communities. Much of my PhD drew on my experiences and challenges, and the review of others' pioneering creative practices' that are responding to ecological concerns. My own transversal practice reflects on the transformation of the small conifer plantation that I live with, Hollywood forest, toward new-to-Ireland, Close-to-Nature forestry. I bring previous experience in biological science research and interests in environmental philosophy, policy development and ecocide-Rights of Nature law developments into the mix.
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Somehow an eco-social art practice allows me to connect and move across these various strands of interest to create a new agency for myself and the human and non-human neighbours I depend on and live with.
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Hollywood forest is the smallest Close-to-Nature forest in Ireland; its growing happily near Mt Leinster and the Blackstairs mountains in South East Ireland.